Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye, page 41
November 27, I was grateful for:
1. this glimpse into Tarquin’s life. Everyone here has a funny Tarquin story, like the one where he was housecleaning drunk and naked after a night out! Such a neat freak! I swear, they love him almost as much as I do!
2. rockpooling on Birsay Beach with Tarquin & Ava, finding elusive ‘Groatie Buckies’. Other places call them cowrie shells, but the Orkney name is so freakin’ cute.
3. the ride on Tarquin’s boat— he named it Leia 5 years ago! — around the Bay of Kirkwall. After, we shopped (puffin goodies for Riley!) and I hugged Kirkwall’s ‘Big Tree’.
4. visiting the village of Balfour on the island of Shapinsay. Balfour Castle looks like something out of a fairy tale. His family doesn’t own it anymore, so we couldn’t go in.
5. Shan’s call. I’m off to Paris 2x next month to dress/style her for two industry events.
6. my past. It’s not the prettiest, but I wouldn’t be with Tarquin if my life had played out differently. For the first time in ages, I’m looking forward to the future.
She glanced up, finding her boyfriend, all messy hair, Clark Kent eyeglasses, and flirty dimples, leaning against the doorjamb, a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice in his grip. Ooh, coming to save me again, naked Superman? Her appreciative gaze slipped down his happy trail. Hmm, I’m not the only one who wishes we were still in bed.
“Good morning, gorgeous.” Tarquin raised the glass. “I brought you some sustenance while you sketch. You know, if something urgent has come up, I can make breakfast while you work.”
How he can say that with a straight face… Leia smiled and closed the book. “Aw, thanks. It’s nothing work-related, though. Just my gratitude journal.”
“Oh, really? Is this a new thing?” He stepped over his discarded boxers and Henley, placing her glass on the bedside table just shy of his latest gift for her: a special Little Miss book celebrating Ginger Spice.
“I started it last Christmas. It was my therapist’s idea. I found it tough at first, finding things to be thankful for when I still felt broken and bruised, but writing down all the good stuff in my life helped me see things differently. It helped me focus on what I did have instead of what I didn’t.” As Leia zipped the journal closed, her eyes leisurely swept down Tarquin’s body and hovered over his erection, bobbing hello. Talk about a wake-up call. Every morning without fail, lucky me! She smiled brightly as her gaze flitted up, meeting his. “And it turns out I have a lot to be grateful for.”
“You and me both.” He scratched his temple. “So, do you ever write about me?”
“Sometimes…”
“Hmm, I must be doing something right, then!” He licked his lips as Leia slipped free from the blanket, naked except for a pair of lavender panties. “Do you write daily?”
“I try to.” Leia stretched, leaving the journal beside her juice. “But this is my first entry since late August.”
“Late August? What was—” His face fell. “Oh! High Line?”
With a nod, she flung open the duvet and shifted to Tarquin’s side of the bed, inviting him into her fort of blankets and pillows.
“So, you did miss me!” Tarquin slid in beside her, and Leia cocooned the sheets and duvet around his nakedness. He rolled onto his side, facing her, his bliss tipping toward concern. “But all jokes aside, why did you stop journaling?”
“Regret, sadness, longing…there wasn’t much room left for gratitude.” She swept her fingers along his furrowed brow and back again. “I thought walking away from you was for the best, for me and my career, but it broke my heart.”
Tarquin hugged her close.
“And to top it all off, I’d lost my job at the Institute the day before. Budget cuts.”
“No! You loved it there! I assumed you just quit because Frill-Seekers was getting too big.”
“Nope. Being let go hurt, but in retrospect, it was the push I needed.” She lifted her chin. “If they’d kept me, I wouldn’t have come to London, wouldn’t have held my fashion show. I wouldn’t be here now with you.”
He softly kissed her. “I owe those bean counters several pints!”
Leia giggled, her fingers swirling in the fine auburn hair on his sculpted chest. “We both do.”
“Bless.” He squeezed her tight, kissing her forehead. “God, this week flew by. Fancy a little more sightseeing on our last day?”
“How many hours of light do we have?”
“It’s around nine o’clock now, so we’ll have about six. We’ll have to bundle up, though. It’s sunny but blustery out there. Or if you’d prefer, we could stay in…” He kissed her lips and down her neck, his sharp, warm puffs of breath skating over her skin. “Pick up where we left off last night.” His erection poked her stomach.
Tangled together in the shower. He can’t get enough. Want tingled between her thighs. And neither can I. God, you’d think we’d be all out of orgasms by now. “This morning, you mean.” She smirked and brushed a lazy finger along his jaw, the coarseness of his stubble pricking her skin. “We didn’t climb back into bed until quarter to two!”
“Worth it, though! So wet and steamy. Jesus, Leia. I was so worked up, it felt like my balls would blow when I came.” Eyes still on her, he bent down, taking her peaked nipple into his mouth for a long, slow suck.
He’s SO bad! She sighed. He knows exactly what this does to me. He just knows.
And so did Leia. Months of separation did little to erase what they’d learned about each other in London. Tarquin went wild whenever Leia nibbled his shoulder or kissed near his belly button, and every time her tongue flirted with the ridge of his penis, his eyes would roll back and curses would fill the air. In bed, in the shower—it didn’t matter where Leia and Tarquin fooled around; their subtle dance of give and take never felt conditional or expected. It felt natural, respectful.
Loving.
This man! Leia arched her back, asking for more. I swear he’s God’s gift to womankind. The things he can do with his tongue! Tarquin flicked and pressed her nipple, teasing Leia into a dizzy puddle of bliss, her nails digging into his shoulders. “You repaying me for last night?”
He glanced up, his gaze heavy and mischievous. “Don’t you want me to?”
“Oh, I do! But…”
“Butt? You mean…this gorgeous butt?” Tarquin slipped his fingers into her underwear, grabbing a handful of her ass as he closed his mouth around her breast again for a vigorous suck, the sensation rocketing straight to her core.
Goose bumps pebbled her skin as she gasped through a giggle. “You’re insatiable and silly, and I’d love orgasms for breakfast, but we really should…” Her eyes lazily flickered, fighting the pleasure building within in.
He sucked harder and slid his hand around Leia’s hip and between her legs. All her thoughts of silliness, sunlight, and sightseeing faded away like a north island mist, replaced by countless sighs and uncontrollable tingles worthy of a glowing gratitude entry.
Her breaths shortened. “I love your mouth on me,” she gasped, writhing beneath him, desire soaking her panties as his fingers circled and teased.
Tarquin relinquished her breast with a soft kiss. “I can tell. You’re so deliciously wet, begging for more.” He nudged his glasses up his nose. “I know you’ll taste amazing.”
Shifting between her thighs, he kissed his way along her stomach, stopping just shy of her underwear, which he peeled away slowly, his leisurely pace a cruel tease. But the wait was worth it. Panties gone, his fingers gently parted her, his breath warm and ragged as his tongue stroked across her, sparking a surge of tingly shivers firing through her body. She twitched with each lick, her hands ravishing his bedhead, grasping, tugging, refusing to let go.
I want this. I want him, more than anything. Leia moaned as Tarquin glided two fingers inside her. “Deeper, Tarquin.” She bucked instinctively against his hand and bit her lip as he circled her slick center with his tongue, his fingers plunging harder, faster, intensifying her need, taking her higher and higher until she broke.
Sucking in a breath, Leia stiffened, letting out a loud moan as the orgasm ripped through her, unraveling body and soul. She fisted Tarquin’s hair, riding each explosive pulse until she whimpered with relief. Wilting into a pool of dizzy satisfaction, her open-mouthed gaze meandered over the wooden beams crossing the ceiling.
Tarquin eased himself up onto an elbow. “Ah, Leia. What were you saying about breakfast?” He flashed a satisfied smirk. “You still peckish?”
For you, always! She panted. “I was just”—she waved a floppy hand in the air—“you know, want to make…most of our last day.”
“I’d say we’re right on track.”
Her eyes drifted down, landing on his erection. Still hard. Ever patient like his owner.
I can’t leave him like this.
“I can make you pancakes with hash browns before we go sightseeing.” He caught her looking at his crotch. “Don’t worry about him. So needy!”
Leia giggled. “I’m more than willing.”
“Nah, let’s wait. Save some fireworks for later, eh?”
“Okay, I’ll make you a deal: play tour guide for me this morning, and I’ll play Return of the Jedi for you tonight.”
His adorable face scrunched in thought. “Play? You mean, watch?”
“No, Tarquin. Play. Guess who made herself a gold bikini.”
“Clothes! Now!” He scrambled out of bed, leaving Leia in fits of laughter.
“Saving the best for last!” Windblown but smiling brightly, Leia placed her hand on the fifteen-foot, lichen-spotted standing stone and closed her eyes. “I realize the magical time travel stones in Outlander weren’t on Orkney, but just humor me, okay?”
Tarquin laughed as his girlfriend got up close and personal with the Ring of Brodgar, a prehistoric stone circle dating back to 2500BC. Of the original sixty stones, only thirty-six remained, their weathered facades bearing witness to untold mysteries. He stepped back and tilted her phone, fitting Leia perfectly in frame. “I’ve been here hundreds of times but still get goose bumps. This circle is older than both Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids of Egypt—how’s that for a total mindfuck!”
NOO! I knew they were old, but… ! Leia’s stomach rolled and her eyes popped open. “Shit!” She pulled her hand away. “And I’m touching it?!”
“You’re fine! The heritage officer said we could.” Tarquin glanced above her phone. “I guess it’s a good thing you were blissfully unaware the Stones of Stenness are even more ancient.”
“And you’re telling me now?!”
Mid-laugh, the ping of a text dragged Tarquin back to her screen. “Oh, it’s Shantelle—another jubilantly smug photo from sunny Mauritius.”
A biting gust forced its way down the cuffs of Leia’s parka. “Fruity cocktails, a barely-there bikini, and Bastien on the beach?” I miss my mitts. She shivered, her pink cheeks stinging.
“Yeah.” Tarquin nudged up his eyeglasses. He paused for a moment, his coat ruffling against his thighs. “Bastien is treating Shantelle to sun and sand, and here I am tormenting you with wind and rain. Oh, and let’s not forget my mum!”
And I’ve come out the other side knowing you’re the one. Leia smiled, adjusting her scarf. “Like I need a sunburn and more freckles. I’m happy here, Tarquin. Besides, Mauritius doesn’t have ancient stone circles.”
She settled back into her Outlander-inspired pose, but her red locks and the chilly gales pushing northeast weren’t cooperating. She gathered her tangled tresses and leaned into the rock again, closing her eyes as Tarquin snapped a burst of cheesy photos.
“Got some great ones!”
Leia opened her eyes. “Eh, didn’t work—I’m still here.” Laughing, she bounced over to Tarquin. “I kid! I love Orkney!” She threaded her hands around his arm and hugged him tight as he scrolled through the photos on her phone.
“See? I took a bunch.”
“Ooh, they’re perfect! I’ll send some to Saz and Shantelle when we’ve got wi-fi again.” She kissed Tarquin on a chilled cheek and traded her phone for the hat and mitts in her pocket. “Cheers, Han Solo!”
Leia’s delighted gaze strayed beyond the parade of stones. “This place…clean air, deep blue seas, gorgeous scenery. The sky goes on forever! Honestly, Orkney feels like another world. The ancient sites are amazing, obviously, but I’m just as fascinated by the ruins dotted all over the islands.”
“The old houses and farm buildings?”
“Yeah.” She tugged on her cotton beanie, taming her wild hair. “Roofs gone, grass overgrown, only their stone walls remaining. They’re beautiful…but in a melancholy way.”
Tarquin nodded. “Most were built in the 1800s. We call them tumbledowns.”
“I like that!” She slipped her hands into her red and white Canada mitts. “Don’t you wonder: who lived there, and why’d they leave?”
“All the time. Every house has its story, some tragic, some not.” Tarquin blew on his hands and rubbed them together. “Life can be tough here. The remoteness and unpredictable weather aren’t for everyone, but it’s still a smashing place to live. That’s why I bought a few old houses and tumbledowns to work on.”
“Really? You’re going to bring them back to life?!”
“That’s my plan. Orkney has given me so much—it’s time I reciprocated.”
Leia looped her mitt-covered hand around Tarquin’s cold fingers. “You’re amazing, you know that?”
“Well, I try!” He laughed as they strolled toward the next stone, standing tall fifteen feet away.
Leia eyed up the enormous stone looming ahead. “The history geek in me still can’t believe we walked around Skara Brae. An actual prehistoric village! Can you imagine, Tarquin? Building houses now that people will pay to visit five thousand years later?”
“Nope!”
“And how organized were its settlers? Their houses had stone dressers and shelves! Maybe you can trace your neat freak genes all the way back to there!” She giggled.
“Hey, what can I say? Orkney has a lot to answer for where I’m concerned. So, what tops your list of favorite Orkney experiences?”
“Oh god, there are so many things. I loved that tiny tidal island!”
“The Brough of Birsay?”
“Yeah! Although, the whole time I worried the tides would rise and the causeway would vanish.”
“It happens.” Tarquin shrugged. “People have been stranded with only the seals for company.”
“Now they were cute! I could’ve watched them for hours. I really enjoyed St. Margaret’s Hope, too—such a pretty village—and the Italian Chapel blew my mind.”
“I think it does for most people. I remember visiting as a kid and Grandma saying it was made from Nissen huts and scrap metal. I thought she was having a laugh, but she told me about the Italian POWs who built it, and I was gobsmacked. If I didn’t want to become a builder before…”
“Right? Talk about resourcefulness. I mean, who makes intricate hanging light fixtures from corned beef tins?” Leia’s eyes widened. “You’d never know they were cans!”
“Gotta love it!” said Tarquin. “Upcycling circa 1943!”
Leia nodded. “It really is remarkable. And the paintings and the tiny metal heart in the floor…” She swooned, plopping her mitt on her chest. “That made me tear up, thinking about the Italian soldier at the end of the war who left his heart behind for the Orkney girl he loved.”
Tarquin pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. “Breaks your heart, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah. I felt the same way at Betty Corrigall’s grave on Hoy, buried alone in the middle of nowhere, just sky and wind for company.”
“The loneliest grave in the UK.”
Such a tragic story, a young, pregnant girl shunned by her community. Leia leaned on his shoulder. “I’m glad we could pay our respects.”
Tarquin let go of Leia’s hand and wound his arm around her shoulders like he knew she needed comforting. “Ava is still raving about her adventures with us. She absolutely adores you.”
“Aw.” She smiled wistfully. “I adore her, too! Such a sweet girl. Talented, too.”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry about that. I love Peedie to the moon and back, but blimey! Fiddle playing ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ at breakfast yesterday…”
“But she was so enthusiastic!”
“Painful, more like! Ears bled, Bert howled—it sounded like she was strangling Mrs. Chuzzlewit.”
“It wasn’t that bad!” Leia playfully pushed on his chest. “Like you can talk! I’ve heard you play your drums.”
“So, my style might be considered experimental…”
Leia’s burst of laughter sailed away on the wind. “What style?” she teased, giving him a squeeze. “Look, I don’t care how good you are, just as long as you have fun.”
“Thank you! And I don’t mean to sound like a dick about the fiddle. I know Ava enjoys it, bless her. I just wish she’d save the impromptu gigs for when I don’t have a stompin’ hangover. That pub lock-in was wild as balls. I haven’t been that drunk in ages.”
“I knew you’d had a good time with your friends when Fiona said she found you in her kitchen at 3 A.M. cleaning up—nude!”
“Absolute lies! All the important dangly bits were covered by her apron.”
“If you say so.” She giggled. “I’m just glad you had fun. Ava and I did, too. I can’t remember the last time I bounced on a trampoline, played with stuffies, or flew a kite. I taught her how to make s’mores, too.”
“I have to tell you, Leia…it made my day yesterday, hearing about you mucking in like that.”
“Ah, it was no biggie.” Leia met his grin with her own. “I love kids.” And I’m so glad you do, too. Maybe one day we could have our own? I so want that.
“You and me both, Ginger.” Tarquin’s gaze glowed with happiness like he could read her mind. They were on the same page, wanting the same things, the same future.
